When interviewing for a position as a CSR, you are likely to get asked all of the typical questions like: “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” – “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” – “Tell me a little about yourself?” and other similar generic questions. Just as with each type of question that you assume might be asked, it is important to consider and formulate a well-thought-out response. As someone in the CSR field, it is also of major importance to have an answer prepared for the question, “What makes up good customer service?”
Customer service is more than just helping customers, and your answer needs to reflect that you understand what it entails. In today’s market, with the competition of the online world, great customer service is the answer much of the time. But what does that really look like? About.com offers a few ideas on the topic, which I would like to expand upon to give you additional food for thought if asked to explain these aspects of service:
Good customer service means having thorough knowledge of your inventory, experience with your products, and being able to help customers make the best choices for them. This is a major factor for anyone at any company. Know your company’s products and services. It is a major let-down when a customer comes asking about product specifics or applications to their situation, only to be given a confusing, less than accurate, or even false answer. If you are asked a question you truly do not know, make it a priority to find out the answer so you will know the next time. New scenarios can happen all of the time. Make sure each and every one of them is a learning experience for you so that your service skills become sharper each time.
Good customer service is treating customers with a friendly, helpful attitude. Your attitude is a major factor with every encounter you have. Do the customers feel that you care for their need, or do they feel like they are bothering you? Are you respectful, kind and make them feel important in your dealings with them, or do you just go through the motions to get to the next customer? Are you able to keep your cool while they vent at you? Are you able to accept the blame for something you did not do, and not take it personally or fight back? These are the types of character traits that need to be considered in order to strive to be an excellent CSR.
Good customer service means helping customers efficiently, in a friendly manner. It's one of the things that can set your business apart from the others of its kind. Along with the knowledge and proper attitude, it is important to handle customers quickly and efficiently. Making sure the customer is happy with the results of the situation is important, and one crucial aspect of making that happen is timeliness. Making a customer wait an obnoxious amount of time for a resolution is not excellent service. Deal with all situations as quickly as possible. If an immediate result is unavailable, be sure you stay on top of the issue through each step, following up with the customer throughout to ensure they know you are still working on it.
These are a few of the ways customer service can be considered great service, and relaying these types of details and understandings to the interviewer will show them you understand that being a great CSR is more than just giving basic service.
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles - FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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